


Before Paradise

by butterflycollective



Category: Guns of Paradise
Genre: F/M, Prequel, Western
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-09
Updated: 2013-07-08
Packaged: 2017-12-18 05:00:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/875884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butterflycollective/pseuds/butterflycollective
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This takes place not too long before the series started. Another Valentine's Day as Amelia tries not to think about her missing husband and Ethan's reminded of his sister.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Amelia Lawson opened up the front door to her bank, relieved to get out of the heat. Summer had been relentless the valley during the past month and they hadn't seen much relief. During the hottest hours of the day many of the businesses shut down as most of the people living in town chose to get some relief from the heat.

Some customers drifted into the bank to deposit their earnings from their businesses but they'd fallen off since their hours had been reduced. Axelrod had groaned about his shortfall to Margaret who worked as the bank's main teller every time he dropped by.

She just reminded him he was lucky to be alive at all. Amelia stayed out of it working mostly in the back office keeping a low profile lest any of them be reminded that a woman ran the town's only bank.

She handled all the paperwork and managed the bank since even though she didn't technically own it, she had put all her energy and time into it given that she had no one else to do it for her. Her husband Pierce had disappeared two years earlier and his fate remained unknown. Oh, a posse had gone out looking for him a week after the marshal had gotten wind that he had vanished. They hadn't really suspected foul play as husbands disappearing in Paradise wasn't a rare occurrence since the latest mine closure. Even though she knew he'd angered some men in a card game not long before she felt sure that Pierce had left town and gone missing of his own accord. But she didn't give the marshal much information because she didn't want it to damage the reputation of the bank and she thought he might come back after the attention had faded.

The marshal just asked her if she had a fight with her husband before his disappearance and she admitted that much.

More often it was the wives who left usually on the morning stagecoach but this time Amelia's husband likely had just decided it was a good time to leave after one of his land schemes had fallen through…most of the town thought Pierce to be charming but also a scam artist.

It had taken Amelia a bit longer to realize the truth about her husband. The posse hadn't found them and she figured that he'd only turn up if he wanted to be found.

Ethan Cord had been on that posse, recruited to ride with it since he happened to be in town at the time between riding off to do whatever it was he did when he wasn't in Paradise. She'd heard he was some notorious gunfighter who people with money hired out to take care of business for them whether it was hunting down fugitives or dealing with vendettas. She tried not to be too curious about him as she had her own life to lead and it'd gotten a lot more complicated after Pierce took off.

She'd argued the night before with her husband over some inconsistencies she'd found in the bank's ledgers for that month and when she'd reviewed earlier ones, her heart sank.

He'd been skimming money off the top of the investments and pocketing it to pay off his gambling debts. She had challenged him about it as she had gotten much bolder than she'd been when they first married. He'd been surprised by that and after calling her foolish; he'd walked out on her to head off to the saloon.

She'd gone to bed by herself as she did so often these nights but expected to see him sleeping in the atrium couch in the morning.

But as she woke up that morning, the house had been silent. The sunlight had streamed into the atrium and he hadn't been sleeping there.

It had taken a week for the posse to head out looking for her missing husband. The marshal had asked her what she'd done to chase him off. When he'd asked her why she'd been unable to keep him at home, she willed herself not to slap him. But better that he and the rest of them think that than knew the truth, that Pierce had tried to skim money from the bank to get himself out of a jam with investors in his latest scheme. If people knew that, they'd all pull their money out closing their accounts and the bank would go under. She couldn't do anything about her irresponsible husband taking off but she could save the bank.

At least keep it going long enough until she could sell it and leave Paradise behind forever. That's all that she wanted to now, to put as many miles between her and the dying town as soon as possible. After all, that's what most everyone had done already.

She just had to pull it off so as not to scare off her customers.

She knew she was more than capable because she was a lady on the surface. She wore the most stylish dresses imported from Europe and lived in the most elegant of houses. She drove a nice buggy and she and her husband had funded various funds to improve the town and restore it to its former glory. But underneath she hadn't changed much from the young girl who'd been put on a boat by her father to head to America, leaving Australia and her family behind.

After she arrived, it hadn't taken her long to fall in with Pierce and become totally enamored with him and his lifestyle. He'd been a distant cousin of the family she'd lived with while she'd kept their house and hadn't been like anyone she'd ever met before.

But as it turned out, she hadn't known him well at all and he'd played her for a fool. It didn't matter because it had forced her to grow up quickly, to put everything else out of her mind and focus on being a businesswoman. She knew she'd be good at it and she had turned the bank around, just recently prospective buyers had come by to check it out. She just hadn't found a suitable buyer yet but it was only a matter of time.

She left the house that morning to head to the bank. Once she'd woken up in the morning, she had stopped looking for any signs of her husband a long time ago. She'd get up, tack up her horse and ride out to the lake when the day threatened to be hot.

After removing her dress, she'd jump into the lake wearing only her underclothes and swim to the waterfall. The water cascading over the rock attracted her each time. It was her private place hidden from the rest of the world where no one could see her. She could shed more than just her clothes and be the young woman she'd been when she'd first arrived in Paradise.

She didn't like much always having to be so cool and calculated, focused on money and investing more of it but she didn't have much of a choice. If any of the customers in town detected any weakness in her, a chink in her armor, then she wouldn't be able to stay in business.

So she kept that side of her personality to herself strictly under wraps. Like right now when she was taking inventory in the safe. Margaret kept giving her the same looks of pity that she'd shown since Pierce was declared missing.

"Any word on him…?"

Amelia looked over at her caught by surprise even though she shouldn't have been as Margaret asked this question nearly every morning like a ritual.

She sighed.

"No Margaret, just like there was no news yesterday, the day before and last year for that matter."

It made her cross sometimes that people seemed to think it was their business to inquire about a man that had been gone for nearly two years. She knew they were curious, maybe even concerned but she didn't need their sympathy, she just needed to keep moving forward until the day she sold the bank, her house and took off for good. She had so many other things she wanted to do, places to see and she'd promised herself one adventure after another.

Margaret just shook her head.

"You know he should really send word that he's alive," she said, "or have someone send it if he's not."

Dead, that's a word she didn't apply to Pierce. He'd always been one step ahead of any real serious harm so she'd stopped worrying about him. But if he were dead, she could mourn him as a widow and then move forward…maybe someday there could be someone else. If he were alive but wasn't coming home…or if he truly abandoned her, then she supposed at some point she'd be a divorcee which was in some ways worse than a widow.

She'd be marked in town as more than a subject of pity. But then there was no reason to file for divorce unless there was someone else and Amelia didn't see that in her future. She'd never even come close to relying on anyone again.

"Are you going to the meeting tonight?"

No she felt lost…

"Meeting what meeting…?"

Margaret sighed.

"Valentine's Day is tomorrow," she said, "

Amelia grimaced. For some reason, the women in Paradise, what few women still lived in town were into celebrating this holiday. All holidays to brighten up life in this busting town but Valentine's Day seemed near the top of the list for some reason. Margaret had been engaged herself some years ago but never married, meaning she was what was called a spinster.

Getting married just when she turned 15 prevented Amelia from suffering the same fate but thinking back, she wished she hadn't been married at all. She lived in the realm of in between…in between being a wife who was respectable and being either widow, still respected but an object of pity or a divorcee which was always viewed as somewhat scandalous. Today she didn't feel in a hurry to have that decided.

"No…no I've got the ledger to go through," she said, "What's happening this year with…"

"Valentine's Day…?"

Amelia nodded, glad that Margaret had said the words for her…because just thinking about it made her think of past holidays when Pierce had treated it…and her for that matter as something very special…then as years passed, it faded like everything else in their marriage until he just forgot all about it. She'd work that day into the night at their bank while he went out to the saloon to drink and gamble more of the bank's money away.

"Yes…a party, a social…a dirge?"

Margaret hid her displeasure at that last one just barely.

"Just a party that Scotty's holding at the saloon," she said, "You should attend."

Amelia shook her head.

"I'm a married woman even if I haven't seen my husband for almost two years."

"Well I'm sure Mr. Lawson will return soon. He has to, it's his sacred duty," Margaret said, "but you shouldn't be alone in the bank."

Amelia almost thought she detected what sounded like concern in her voice.

"I'll…think about it," she said, "I do have some work to do but maybe later…"

"Not too much later," Margaret said, "the marshal's keeping a close watch out for any signs of trouble from those ruffians…"

Amelia knew she meant the band of men bordering on outlaws that had been causing trouble as of late. The marshal didn't do much to stop them except warn them. Sometimes she thought that Cal Winston was as useless and weak as her husband. Then speaking of men, in walked the opposite of Cal and she looked up to see Ethan, looking less beat up than usual walking in the bank.

Ethan was the most confident of men but then if he were a gunfighter for hire, he had to be to stay alive. She imagined that even during his downtime, he had people coming after him whether for revenge or to take him out to make names for themselves. He had been polite to her when their paths crossed but she didn't like him around town because violence too often followed almost as if he attracted it. That wasn't necessarily true but even as a part of her enjoyed running into him, she wished he'd stay away.

He tipped his worn hat at her and Margaret.

"Good morning Mrs. Lawson, Ms Beadle…"

Margaret shot him a look of disapproval as she didn't like rough around the collar men like Ethan at all. Amelia smiled slightly..

"Good morning Mr. Cord," she said, "You hear to deposit your winnings?"

Meaning the poker games because when he was in town, he frequented them and her husband more than once had grumbled about losing his shirt to that gunslinger who could out bluff a statue.

"No Ma'am, I'm here to make a withdrawal."

That surprised her. Once he deposited what money he had, it usually stayed in his account almost as if he were saving it for something. She nodded and directed Margaret to take care of the transaction. It wasn't for very much money.

"Paying a bill?"

He shook his head with a smile.

"No…I'm going to Axelrod's to buy something to send back to St. Louis," he said, "Got kin there."

She heard that he'd had a sister and that she had been an actress or singer or something like that. Maybe she had children.

"That's nice…is it for Valentine's Day?"

He looked at her intently for a moment.

"You know what that is don't you Mr. Cord?"

He nodded.

"Yes I do Mrs. Lawson. I don't have time to celebrate holidays."

"No I imagine you don't," she said, "Neither do I."

Unlike everyone else in town, he didn't ask her or look like he was going to ask her why. But then she supposed either he didn't care much to know the answer or he already knew it. She didn't know much about him

"You always working?"

She tilted her face.

"I've got a bank to run because Paradise needs it."

"Just got back into town after a job…"

She didn't press him for details about his job. After all it was none of her business and she really didn't want to know.

"And I thought I'd get something and send it to Lucy."

"Your sister…"

He nodded.

"It's too late for Valentine's Day but I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

"She's got children…four of them."

She hadn't known that just like she didn't know hardly anything about Ethan.

"Really…have you seen them?"

"No…no I haven't," he said, "I haven't seen her in years. She moves around a lot like I do."

Amelia smiled a little.

"That does make it difficult."

"Yes…I heard they're having a party tomorrow…"

"Yes for the holiday," she said, "It's good for business."

He seemed to digest that.

"Are you going?"

She'd thought about it but just shook her head.

"No…work remember…? That's mostly what I do."

He paused a long moment, looking at her with those intense brown eyes. Thinking about what she didn't know and she didn't ask.

He did his business, she gave him the money and he left the bank. She wondered about him sometimes but she couldn't afford to do anything with it. His life had complications a woman like herself didn't need and her own life…in limbo because of her husband talking off.

Ethan didn't know what to buy for Lucy in Axelrod's mercantile. He hadn't seen her in years, most of the time they'd spent together had been as children who'd been orphaned and left to fend for survival. At some point she'd gotten married after she became an entertainer. She had children four of them and he got scraps of news every now and then. But he didn't know them at all.

There had never been any place in his life for a family including children. He didn't even know what that meant as his sister had been the only person he'd grown up knowing. Her and then later Emma and what had happened to her…he closed his eyes not wanting to think about what was done in the past. The man who had taken them in and then used him for his own gain, the one who'd killed her and nearly him…he'd get what was coming to him as soon as their paths crossed. He'd stopped actively looking for him because his work kept him too busy what with the traveling and the rest of it. Now he'd crashed back in Paradise in the hotel. He'd spend his afternoons and evenings in the saloon until it was time to go on another assignment.

The rest of the town just tolerated him as he'd never really been a part of its fabric. They used him and his firepower when it was needed to fight some outlaw or settle some drunken brawl. But the rest of the time he knew they'd exile him if they had the chance.

The woman he'd just left he didn't know how she felt. He knew she disapproved of his line of work and said it was bad for business but she treated him civilly perhaps because that was good business.

Axelrod just watched him from the counter as he looked for something to send Lucy. Almost as if a shootout would break out in the middle of his store but Ethan knew the town to be peaceful right now…

He wondered what life might be like for her. Sporadic letters from her detailed what sounded like an exciting life traveling to different towns and putting on revues, not much news about her husband what's his name. Ethan never returned her letters, he could barely read and write but even if it took him forever to read through one of her narratives, he did it, they were the only ties he had with his sister.

Wait, he had sent a photo to her once of him taking in front of this mercantile not too long ago.

"Do you find anything yet?"

He looked over at Axelrod who'd never been friendly with him.

"I'm still looking…I got some time before the poker game starts off at the saloon."

Axelrod scrunched his face in disapproval as Ethan knew would happen. But he'd made a pile of cash last night to supplement his earnings off his last job…to pay his room and board at the hotel and to add to his bank account.

After he left Axelrod unable to decide on a purchase, he went to the saloon. He saw some unfamiliar horses tied up near the bank and a man he didn't recognize standing nearby. At the saloon, Scotty awaited along with Charlie, Amos and Tiny. They'd spend another slow afternoon beating each other at poker. Not much fighting, that had somehow ended after Pierce had left town.

"You bring all that cash you won last night?"

He looked at Scotty.

"You bring a better game?"

Scotty didn't look offended. He never held onto the right cards and didn't boast a good bluff. They all sat down and began to play.

Amelia remained at the bank working in her office. Margaret handled the customers while she worked the books. She'd undid most of the damage her errant husband had done by now but she didn't want to trust anyone to handle them again.

Margaret walked into the office.

"That's the last of them for now," she said, "I think it'll be slow the rest of the day."

Amelia looked up.

"You mean slower."

Margaret sat down near her desk.

"Yes…well maybe it's the holiday."

Amelia arched her brows.

"It's the bust but hopefully we'll be able to turn it around soon," she said, "Like it used to be when more people lived here, more families…"

Margaret sighed.

"I don't know if it'll ever be like that again but I hope it doesn't become a ghost town."

Amelia didn't want to see that either. She'd come here some years ago after she and Pierce had eloped and traveled around a bit. He'd been looking for business opportunities when they passed through the then booming mining town and somehow wound up staying overnight…and then staying much longer. Well, she'd stayed even longer than Pierce until the day came when she'd finally leave.

"Paradise will come out of this just fine," Amelia said, "if people don't panic and scatter."

Margaret sighed.

"No place for me to go…no family so I might as well stay right here…but I will be at the party tomorrow…have you decided to go yet?"

No she hadn't, Amelia didn't feel any reason to celebrate it and she didn't think anything would change her mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Amelia dropped by the planning meeting run by Margaret and Edwina, the woman who ran a fabric store. She didn't plan on saying anything; she just couldn't bear to look at another row of numbers in a ledger and didn't want to go home to an empty house.

"We're going to have decorations all over the saloon…"

Amelia suddenly had a thought despite her vow of silence.

"Wait a minute…isn't there going to be a poker game there?"

Margaret sighed.

"It's going to be in the back room," she said, "That'll leave us the whole restaurant part of it for the party."

That would work, thought Amelia not that she was going.

"Mary said she'd make some desserts," Edwina said, "Scotty's going to help her."

Before he hit the poker match, Amelia thought and the betting began in earnest. She'd remembered what it'd been like when Pierce frequented those games not long before he left. She had heard afterward that some of the out of town players had been looking at him a time or two to get at him for what they said was cheating. She'd just said that he was nowhere to be found and that if they did run into him, she hoped that someone would send her word.

But no one did that. Perhaps he was dead, had met a bad end at the hands of someone he scammed. He could be lying buried in some grave somewhere unidentified or out in the desert getting his bones picked at by buzzards. She didn't know and she didn't much care at this point did she? No, he left due to some weakness on his part; it was his fault and had nothing to with her or her actions.

"Amelia would you like to make a donation?"

She just looked up as both Margaret and Edwina looked at her.

"What kind?"

Margaret pursed her mouth.

"Money of course," she said, "We have a tab at Axelrod's to pay off and then there are the drinks at the saloon."

"Drinks…?"

"Oh don't say it like that Amelia," Edwina said, "Just something to lighten things up…some of us don't have anything to celebrate not having husbands."

Amelia sighed.

"Maybe that is something for celebration," she said, "being married isn't everything…"

Oh except for being the only way that many women could survive. Women like Margaret who was what was called an old maid and Edwina, a widow were often struggling just to get by and support themselves and their families with men. But Amelia had done just fine without her husband, better in fact.

Margaret gave her a disapproving look.

"Now Amelia, I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding between you and Mr. Lawson…perhaps you jumped to conclusions."

Amelia's eyes flashed at what the other woman had just said.

"I did not jump to conclusions…hardly…I learned the truth about him too late."

Margaret and Edwina looked at each other and Amelia knew that they'd always wanted to give her cad of a husband the benefit of the doubt. Well she had too for much too long and now she was alone, and if they'd known the truth about Pierce putting the town's bank at such risk…well she could never tell them that…being a businesswoman and all.

So she said nothing, she just hoped they'd move on to the next topic.

"Yes, the bank's foundation will donate a small amount of money," she said, "You can pick up the draft tomorrow morning."

Margaret looked pleased but she didn't know that Pierce had nearly drained that fund to feed his gambling habits. God, sometimes she just wanted to lay the harsh truth about him on these biddies but if she did that the bank and ultimately the town would suffer and it'd been through enough already what with the latest shutdown of the mines after the ore ran out.

No she had to keep some secrets after all even if it was proving harder to do so with each passing day not less.

Ethan had a great hand and was one card away from a nice straight. Scotty bluffed badly as usually and Ethan guessed he was trying to pass two pair at best as a straight. Tiny, maybe going for a full house and as Ethan sipped his whisky he waited for something to happen.

No fights had broken out lately and the games were getting pretty tame. There'd been some riff raff showing up trying to push their way into them but Ethan had politely told them to take it elsewhere. Some people just were obviously interested in trouble. With a worthless town marshal like Cal, Ethan knew it'd be up to him to clear out any messes and that gave him veto power.

"How many cards?"

Ethan looked at his hand and thought he needed that one more so he took it and it didn't help him much. So he sipped his whisky.

"So what do you think about this Valentine's Day business?"

Ethan glanced up at Scotty.

"You got a wife, so why you asking that question?"

Scotty looked sheepish.

"She's been pushing me to get her something nice," he said, "and you know she's taking over the saloon for her party."

Ethan knew about that but he knew he'd be where the poker game was held. He didn't cotton much to the holiday and even less to holiday parties. Holidays brought out volatile tempers and he'd had to return more than one body to some grieving relative because of that.

Tiny spoke up.

"It's just foolish if you ask me," he said, "and there's nothing for the men folk to do."

"You got poker," Ethan said, "and double ante tomorrow just to get started."

Charlie shook his head.

"Don't know if I can afford that Ethan," he said, "this job doesn't pay much."

Charlie was but a deputy for Cal and even though he did a most of the work it didn't pay very well and what he made, well Charlie lost a huge chunk of it on poker.

"You know the ladies are planning it right now," Scotty said, "Mostly Edwina, Margaret but Amelia showed up."

That made Ethan arch his brows…after all she hadn't sounded like she liked the parties anymore than he did…but then again with Pierce disappearing like he did. The man wasn't worth a bucket of bull piss. Amelia might be more than a handful and difficult but any man who ran off on his family deserved what he got…and Ethan figured that something must have happened to Pierce since he didn't crawl home.

"I don't know why Amelia's bothering now. She didn't last year…or the year before that."

"It's not like she can do nothing," Crawford pointed out, "She's still married to her husband."

Deets nodded.

"Must be hard without a man to come home to," he said, "but then maybe she wasn't much of a woman."

Ethan tensed. He'd come here to play a good game of poker and make some money not to denigrate a woman even one like Amelia.

The other men chuckled and he stood up.

"You going to talk like this all night or you going to start losing your money…?"

They just looked at him.

"Hey Ethan…it's just idle talk," Charlie said, "Not much else going on in Paradise since…you know everything went bust. Besides, I still get the occasional wire back on her husband…he's not dead anyway."

"He'll be worse than that if he shows up now," Scotty said, "Amelia might not show it much but she's got a wilder side."

Charlie nodded.

"She was a sprite when she first came here with Pierce," he said, "Her husband talked a big game but she was the smart one."

Ethan hadn't known her back then. He didn't much know her now. But he saw that she was smart and very driven in ways that he didn't understand.

"Pierce was just too smooth," Charlie said, "He would have fooled any women."

Ethan leaned back in his chair.

"He fooled most of the men too," he said, "Now who can beat this?"

He laid down his straight flush in front of the astonished men.

Amelia had walked out of the planning meeting. It had all been one big mistake. She knew that people still blamed her for her husband leaving, like she couldn't hold onto him. Most of the time it didn't faze her but right now she didn't want to see the same looks.

Margaret had always fancied that Pierce was the best thing that could happen to any woman and had told her that if he returned, Amelia should take him back. But she couldn't bring herself to want to do anything but shoot him if he dared show his face in Paradise again.

If not shoot him get him to sell the bank if she couldn't do it on her own. It didn't seem fair that he could take off without notice yet she remained bound here out of mostly obligation and partly survival.

She had stood up at some point and just looked at the other women.

"No I most certainly will not beg for him to forgive me if he comes back," she said, "I'm not the person who did wrong here. He did…and if he dares come back, I'll deal with him."

They just stared at her as she excused herself and left them to go walk outside.

Being February, it was a bit nippy and she pulled her shawl around her closer. She should be used to it by now, the whispers, the looks and sometimes the overt behavior. But it'd been nearly two years and you'd think the town would just move on like she'd done. The streets were lit up as darkness had fallen on the valley and while occasionally she'd see someone dip into the saloon, it was pretty quiet.

Paradise didn't have much in the way of families anymore. But she hoped that would change and that the bank could be a cornerstone in reviving the town…still without the mines operational that would be a difficult feat.

She looked up and saw him walking towards the hotel. Ethan stayed there in between jobs and sometimes he had a saloon girl with him. Tonight, he'd been by himself and she knew from the noises inside the saloon, he'd left early.

As she walked she suddenly heard footsteps behind her and then a male voice.

"Where you going pretty thing…?"

She sighed inwardly. Another drunken former miner no doubt…hitting on the first woman that he saw. Ignore him, she told herself as she kept walking.

"You hear me, I asked a question."

She turned around to face him. He was a little older than her and scruffily dressed. His voice slurred a bit.

"I don't respond to men I don't know and I don't know you."

He paused and then laughed.

"I know you," he said, "or I know your husband…"

She sighed, because sometimes she ran into people who Pierce had ripped off in one of his scams.

"Look I don't know where he is and I don't care," she said, "I haven't seen him in two years."

The man leered.

"Then I'm sure he won't mind if you pay off the money he owes me."

She'd already paid enough of the money he'd skimmed off the bank over time and didn't have anything left if she'd been so inclined. She wasn't responsible for her husband's bad behavior just because she'd married him. She hadn't known about most of it until it was too late.

"I can't do that," she said, "You'll have to take that up with him when you find him."

"Been looking…but Pierce always knew when to drop out of sight," he said, "as I bet you know."

She did now but she just wanted to get home.

"It's not my affair…so if you'll excuse me."

He grabbed her arm so suddenly it nearly knocked her off her feet. His expression turned meaner.

"No…I want what's owed me but if you want to pay me in other ways…"

She just looked at him shocked and tried to shake her hand loose but he held tight.

"Let me go or…."

"Or you'll do what…you're just a woman…not many good uses for them but a few."

Amelia didn't want to wait for an explanation on what they were so she balled up her hand into a fist to hit him.

Her blow caught him glancing off his jaw and it just made him angry.

"Why you…"

She prepared to duck to get ready for her next swing…when something stopped him in his track. Someone had grabbed hold of his arm.

"Mr. Cord…"

She hadn't heard him come over and the expression on his face looked quite cross. It caught the attention of the man.

"Let her go if you know what's good for you."

The man sneered.

"Her husband ripped me off…"

Ethan didn't appear moved.

"That's his affair not hers," he said, "Now let her go and go along your way."

"What if I…"

But Ethan had already grabbed him quickly, got him to release Amelia and shoved him on the ground. The man just lay there dazed looking up at both of them.

"Now get a move on….unless you want more."

But the man had enough, he scrambled on his feet and hurried away without another word. Amelia just stood there a bit shaken.

"You okay?"

She looked up at him and nodded.

"I didn't hear him coming behind me," she said, "Thank you."

Not easy words for her to say but she knew in this case, he'd helped her.

"I'll walk you the rest of the way home."

"No…that's not really necessary…I can make it."

He shook his head.

"It's dark and he might be waiting until I leave," he said, "and no one here to help you."

She sighed.

"I don't need help…most of the time."

He didn't say anything but walked with her down the street to her house to make sure she arrived safely.


	3. Chapter 3

Amelia woke up the next morning to an empty house. She'd stopped looking for her husband a long time ago and had learned to welcome the peace and quiet. She got up to get dressed to go to the bank before eating some breakfast. She didn't like cooking much and Pierce had always made fun of her meals she had prepared to him.

She'd cooked for others when she'd first arrived her for her sponsoring family, who had put her to work including waiting on others her own age. Getting up before the sun and finishing her work after it set, she'd gotten used to that and the tedium of chores. Pierce's arrival in her life had done much to tug her away from an uncertain future. She'd been so drawn to the handsome man with the silver tongue and the sense of adventure who was different than anyone she'd ever known.

What happened last night hadn't been that unusual…but it'd been a while since it had happened. Some man that her husband had ripped off or swindled coming to Paradise to track down anyone with any link to him and that usually meant her. They'd ask her, implore her even threaten her to try to get their money back or the location where they could find Pierce to exact their own justice.

Ethan had walked into it just at the right moment because this man seemed more upset than usual. So rarely did they physically attack her like he'd done but her father had taught her how to use her fists to fight and she'd thrown a punch at him. She knew how to duck an incoming blow and that's what she'd been doing when Ethan showed up and sent the man on his way.

She could have handled it herself. That's what she told him when he insisted on walking her to her house. He had told her it was just in case the man remained close by, waiting for him to leave before coming after her again.

After she'd walked up the steps and opened her front door, he tipped his hat and then walked away.

Now as she ate breakfast, she'd hoped that the disgruntled man had moved on and out of town. She had a lot of work to do, not to mention having to listen to Margaret remind her not to give up hope that her husband might return.

She didn't want him back at this point. Too much time had passed and she'd grown independent enough to know she didn't need him to survive. But then there was no need to divorce him either because it'd be too much hassle and paperwork considering he couldn't be located. She just focused on keeping the bank above water and making it attractive to any prospective buyers.

Ethan hindered that process because being a gunslinger; he attracted violence wherever he showed up. No, it wasn't always his fault if someone from his past chose to show up and dare him to a showdown in the streets with guns drawn but it didn't change the fact that his presence in the city impacted its economic situation in a negative way.

Violence and bodies dead in the street riddled with bullet holes like nearby buildings just hurt the town's ability to boom again. She had told him that often enough and yet he still helped her.

One look out the window revealed a sunny day, uncharacteristically warm for this time of year. That meant that she might see more business at the bank so she grabbed her satchel and headed on over there just down the street.

Ethan woke up in his hotel room forgetting for a moment where he'd crashed earlier. He had been so used to camping outside while traveling that sleeping in a bed proved to be a rarity. He'd drunk some whisky last night but not enough to make him drunk though he did have a headache. The sunlight shone in the window indicated it was midmorning but he had nowhere to go in between poker games. He'd finished his latest job a week ago and it'd be another week until the next one. He had just been hired to pick up a fugitive in Lodi and take him to Sacramento.

In the meantime there were poker games to win and money to collect, to deposit in the account. He still had to buy his sister Lucy and her children a present. He didn't know why he'd started thinking of his sister for the first time in months but he'd been envisioning her inside his head back to the days when she'd been much younger of course and they'd spent time together after reuniting again.

He got out of bed, cleaned himself up and then went down to get some breakfast at the saloon restaurant. Charlie and Scotty stood there talking by the bar and they both stopped when he approached.

"You showing up later today," Scotty asked.

Meaning the late afternoon poker match, so Ethan nodded and he intended to take home a big pot tonight.

Charlie shot a look over at Scotty.

"Mary's going to lay the law on you," he said, "if you mess with the Valentine's Day party."

Scotty scoffed.

"I run this establishment and the poker game's going on even with her party."

Ethan bit back a smile because he knew in Scotty's household, Mary wore the pants so to speak beginning with the kitchen.

"The women met last night but Margaret and Amelia sparred a bit."

Ethan arched a brow. He didn't know the two other argued but he knew that Margaret was even more judgmental than Amelia.

"It was about Pierce, according to my wife."

Charlie chuckled.

"Margaret keeps telling her to take him back if he ever shows up again but I doubt we'll ever see him again."

Scotty shook his head.

"That won't happen," he said, "Amelia will shoot him first. She's a crack shot."

Ethan didn't know that because he knew little about the woman. But he did know that Pierce's disappearance never ceased to be a topic of idle gossip. He knew the man was probably lying low somewhere far away until he knew that he was no longer being sought by those who wanted vengeance. He also knew that Amelia was better off without him and she was the only pretty young woman to look at in this town.

Mary walked into the room carrying some breakfast.

"Ethan I got your meal here," she said, "Enjoy it and just ignore what my husband says."

He sat down at the bar and dove into the eggs and fried potatoes while the other men watched. Charlie spoke up.

"Some man came by looking for Pierce last night…just after I left the saloon…said he got ripped off by him."

Scotty sighed.

"He and nearly everyone else…if only he could have gotten hung…"

Ethan knew a lot of people felt that way but the man hadn't killed anyone. He had taken from them by lying and then he'd slipped away one night.

"I saw him last night."

The men looked at him.

"Where…?"

"On the main street," Ethan said, "He was giving Amelia a hard time."

Charlie sighed.

"What'd you do Ethan?"

Ethan chewed on a bite of his food.

"Told him just to move on," he said "Amelia had his measure soon enough."

Scotty and Charlie looked at each other. Most of the town knew that Amelia had obviously been taught by someone how to fight.

"Did he leave?"

Ethan shrugged.

"I don't know…haven't seen him since."

Amelia half listened to Margaret who weaved some romantic story of thwarted love from her own past and then tried to impart some hard won knowledge involving Amelia's own marriage. She didn't want to hear any of it because she had heard it already. Valentine's Day had no meaning for her and she chose to just ignore it

"Margaret, not another word about it," she said, "I know I made the right decision about Pierce and so help me if he returns…"

The older woman threw her a disapproving look.

"You don't mean it Amelia…absence will make the heart grow fonder as they say…you'll see that when he returns."

Not likely, Amelia thought. She had just learned to live without him, to rely on herself and no one else. She put every ounce of energy and all of her time into the bank. The better she made of it, the sooner she'd sell it and then she'd take off and find a life for herself elsewhere.

More footsteps and Ethan walked in the bank. He walked up to the counter and Margaret moved over to wait on him.

"I'm here to deposit some money," he said, handing some bills over to her.

Margaret just looked at them as if they were suspicious. Amelia knew she didn't like Ethan.

"I'll see what I can do…"

Amelia moved forward.

"I'll do it, after what you did last night…"

Ethan's mouth twitched.

"You seemed to handle yourself fine."

Amelia smiled and she caught a puzzled look on Margaret's face.

"He was just so upset…by my husband," she said, glancing over at Margaret, "Pierce had that effect on people."

The teller's face turned prissy.

"Hopefully he's moved on…"

Amelia nodded wanting that too. She smiled at him.

"He won't be the last…"

Margaret cleared her throat.

"Amelia, are you coming to the party tonight?"

She still hadn't decided and she found herself looking over at Ethan.

"I don't know Margaret," she said, "I've got a lot of work to do first…I have a prospective buyer coming next week."

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"You are selling the bank?"

She looked directly at him.

"I don't know…it depends on the offer but it's worth a lot," she said, "Don't worry…if I do, the transition to a new owner will be smooth."

"But you'll be leaving…"

She nodded.

"Yes as soon as possible," she said, "You see there's nothing for me here anymore now that Pierce is gone. He brought me here as part of some land scheme. I didn't think I'd still be here now."

She needed to leave Paradise, surely he could understand that and why had he asked anyway? Amelia stared into his brown eyes not really understanding him now.


	4. Chapter 4

Ethan knew that Amelia wanted to leave Paradise in the worst way. She wanted to get aboard a stagecoach and see it disappearing behind her, never to be seen again. He didn't blame her for that. He didn't much like the town either…except for a couple of friends he had like John Taylor who didn't really live there. In fact he still didn't know where his enigmatic friend did live. Oh, and Tiny the blacksmith and a couple others. Most of the others alternated between begging him to save them from some band of outlaws or trying to exile him from their sight, thinking he was bad for business.

So he spent most of his time traveling to and from jobs or tailing outlaws and fugitives of various sorts and then would only go back to Paradise to crash in his hotel room in between them. Eat in the hotel restaurant and hang out at the saloon playing poker to kill the time. He always felt so damn restless when he wasn't being a gunslinger and the times when injuries had him sidelined were the worst. He saw much more of the town and its people than he ever wanted then.

Sometimes he'd see Amelia walking to and from the bank in the mornings and then later in the evenings. When Pierce had been around, she had started showing up on the street earlier in the mornings often before the sun rose over the hills and she'd head home late at night. No one really messed with her because she packed a gun and he'd heard she knew how to use it. Not that he knew much about her except that she had this cold businesslike demeanor all the time and liked to wear expensive dresses that looked very pretty on her.

A pretty woman like her…Ethan couldn't imagine why a husband would leave a wife like that unless times had gotten desperate. He'd never been married himself, never been close to it. Yes, he enjoyed his women, caroused more than a little bit but anytime a woman tried to get too close to him, wanted to know more about him, he backed away and moved on. It didn't hurt that most of the women he'd associated with had been of the same ilk, out looking for a good time with no expectations of more than that.

Made life a lot easier…to not have to worry about one woman and a family…Ethan knew if he had either or both of that, it'd mess him up good. He'd seen more than one renowned gunslinger go down because he'd been too busy thinking about his family every time he stood up to take a risk…or someone came after him to take advantage of any weaknesses.

Having a family to take care of…and worry about…that was the biggest weakness of all.

No, that wouldn't be part of his baggage, he'd remained sure of that. And besides, his own family, all that he remembered of it was Lucille and he hadn't seen her in ages. He'd gone to pick out a nice card for her to send to her and the children…she didn't need for money as she'd always lived the high life with her husband and even after he'd taken off on them, she still made more than enough money as an traveling entertainer to get by.

He heard footsteps and Amelia had joined him near the wire office. He glanced at her and she offered him a small smile.

"I hope you weren't offended by my words back there."

He shook his head.

"No…if you want to leave this town so bad, you should just leave…not stick around."

She sighed.

"It's not that easy," she said, "I've got the bank and until it sells…I just put too much of myself into it to just walk away. I've never been good at that I'm afraid."

He looked at her standing there in some nice looking blue number with lace trim and thought not.

"I thought you had a buyer?"

She shook her head.

"No…he doesn't think that Paradise's got enough going for it to make running a bank less risky."

Ethan smiled.

"Maybe he should have been here five years ago…"

She smiled back at him.

"Better yet ten," she said, "that's how long I've been here."

He arched his brows because that was before his time. But when he'd arrived, Paradise had been a thriving mining town overfilling with people arriving from all corners of the country, often with just their dreams of riches to sustain them. Reality hit soon enough and that was that very few struck it rich and most of that money was seized by those who did very little of the actual work in the mines. They just took advantage of the men and took them for everything they got whether it was charging exorbitant amounts for food, lodging and supplies or entering into deals with able bodied men to take all but a small percentage of everything they got.

"I was so young…hadn't been married that long," she said, "and it just seemed so different than anything I'd ever seen at least since I came to this country."

He'd known she'd been a foreigner because she sounded so different but he didn't know from where and he didn't ask. Most people he encountered didn't much like talking about their pasts.

"What about you?"

He glanced at her.

"I came here looking for work," he said, "I did security for the mines and then when they closed started taking up work elsewhere."

"Pierce's family, they're all upper society back East, they didn't approve of him marrying me," she said, "Maybe I should have listened to them."

He didn't respond to that. He could see why Pierce wanted to marry her, she was beautiful with dark hair that curled around her face and eyes which grabbed his attention.

"The other risk the buyer didn't want to deal with is the fact that my husband owns the bank on paper and since he's no where around…"

"He wouldn't buy the bank…"

She nodded.

"My husband could show up from nowhere and contest the sale," she said, "thought that's not likely."

He heard the wistfulness in her voice and doubted any of it was for her husband but by the fact that his desertion had bound her to Paradise unwillingly.

"But you're very busy here," he said, "That ought to take care of some of it."

She thought about it and nodded slightly.

"I went to the meeting on the Valentine's Day party at the hotel," she said, "but I'm not much in the spirit of it. Margaret has her own ideas about the holiday and what I need…she's always been soft on Pierce no matter what."

"You are going…?"

She just looked at him and then she remembered.

"I don't think so," she said, "Like I said I don't have any reason to celebrate…what about you?"

He shook his head.

"I'll be there but in the back room for the poker game," he said, "Scotty's promised us we won't be disturbed by the party."

"Sounds better than the party actually…"

His brows arched.

"You play poker?"

She smiled.

"Of course…that's how Pierce courted me when we met."

He didn't know that but he didn't know much else so he just digested that bit of information.

"Are ladies invited?"

Ethan honestly didn't know the answer to that but he didn't see why not. He was curious to know how good a player she'd turned out to be. He knew that Pierce had been quite skilled…but then most of that had been at cheating. Somehow he didn't think that his wife shared the same vice.

"Don't see why not…why don't you show up tonight and ask Scotty about it? As long as you bring some money to stake, I don't see him saying no…"

She considered that and then she nodded.

"Okay I'll do that…I'd better head to the bank to make sure it's still there…see you tonight."

He tipped his hat at her.

"See you then…"

He couldn't wait until night not that he knew why but he knew it would prove to be quite eventful especially after the other men found out a woman would be playing in their midst.

And if she turned out to be a card shark then there'd surely be fireworks.


	5. Chapter 5

Margaret just looked at her like she were crazy. Matilda threw her a shocked look as well. They both seemed amazed at her plans.

"You're doing what?"

Amelia suppressed a smile.

"I'm playing poker…with the men," she said, "That's more my speed anyway."

Margaret didn't appear to approve.

"You shouldn't be cavorting with the men," she said, "and gambling is a mortal sin."

Amelia smiled.

"It's just a game and my father taught it to me and then my husband…you remember him Pierce the one you seem to think was blameless in leaving me."

Margaret's lips pinched. But Amelia had grown tired of her constantly defending him as if he'd left because living with her had just been so unbearable when in reality, he was dodging men who he'd swindled with some real estate scheme. Someday she should sit down Margaret and the rest of the ladies' auxiliary committee and just tell them the entire story about Pierce. Then maybe they'd stop giving her lectures on how to be a good wife. It's not like Margaret had been married herself. What did she know about having to deal with a husband who turned out to be a cad?

"But a woman playing it with men," Margaret said, "That's scandalous."

Amelia sighed.

"Not really…it makes much more sense than going to this party," she said, "Valentine's Day is not something I feel like celebrating…at least not this year."

Margaret smiled.

"Well maybe when Pierce returns…"

Amelia pressed her lips together.

"He's not coming back Margaret and what makes you think I'd take him back?"

Margaret looked somewhat flustered.

"Well…well…you can't just keep him out of the house if he does come back."

Amelia put a hand on a hip.

"Says who?

Margaret couldn't answer that and besides Amelia had to get home so she could change into something nice for the poker game. Nothing too dressy, nothing imported but she was still a woman after all…just one who knew her way around a poker game. But since she didn't know who was playing she'd bring her gun to protect herself and her stake.

"Amelia…I'm sure your husband…made some mistakes."

That was putting it mildly, Amelia thought but she didn't feel like feeding the gossip mill. Honestly she thought most of the town looked at her as the woman who couldn't keep her man at home. But for the most part, she just ignored that and focused all her attention on the bank.

Tonight she hoped that she'd get a way from that for a while and show off her poker playing skills.

Ethan went to his hotel room and caught himself actually picking out one of his dressier outfits to wear to the saloon. Normally he didn't change his clothes at all unless he'd just gotten back to town from a job but tonight…he just wanted to dress up. He even shaved which he rarely did these days.

He'd get a bite to eat from Scotty's restaurant before heading into the back room where the men would be playing poker while the women had their Valentine's Day party.

Except one woman would be joining them.

When he'd asked Amelia if she'd go to the poker game, he didn't know if she'd accept, didn't even know if she knew how to play. If she turned out to be good, it might get the men upset.

It'd get her mind off of her missing husband for a while because he guessed she still thought about him. Pierce must have walked into a world of trouble to have run off like that but then what little he knew about him, he didn't like. He didn't like men who prided themselves on conning hard working people out of what was valuable to them and if it had been him that had been fleeced, he might have filled Pierce full of shot himself. Pierce had left Paradise not knowing or caring if any of his enemies came bothering his wife about what he stole from them. He knew Amelia could take care of herself, she made sure the whole town knew that but it still wasn't right.

Someone needed to take Pierce outside and give him a bit of shed justice if he did show his face here again.

Scotty was waiting for him when he came down for some supper. He raised his brows when he saw Ethan.

"You are heading to church?"

Ethan frowned.

"Don't think we got one here," he said, "well what's left of the old one. No, I'm here for the poker game."

Scotty scratched his head.

"You are dressing up for that?"

Ethan sat at the counter waiting for his food.

"Anything wrong with that," he said, "These aren't my church clothes."

"No nothing wrong Ethan…just haven't seen you looking like that since…I can't remember when."

Ethan sighed and fortunately Mary brought out some stew to serve to him.

"You look nice Ethan," she said, putting a plate of food before him.

It smelled delicious and he started eating. Scotty turned toward Mary.

"He's dressing up for the poker game tonight."

She smiled.

"That's alright though if you'd rather come to our party…more ladies there."

Scotty chuckled.

"Not the kind of ladies that would interest him," he said, "better stick to playing cards."

Mary scoffed.

"Doesn't sound that exciting…unless a fight breaks out…"

That hadn't happened recently and much less often than when Pierce showed up to the games. Ethan broke up one or two of those fights before someone broke Pierce. He never thanked Ethan for saving his skin either, always acting as if he were some kind of nuisance he didn't need. Ethan wondered if his thoughts had changed since he'd left Paradise with men coming after him in all directions.

"Amelia's coming…"

Mary nodded.

"To the party yes? She's on the organizing committee…"

Ethan took a bite of his stew.

"No…to the poker game…"

Scotty and Mary just looked at each other.

"What…well I never…a woman?"

Mary looked at her husband with bemusement.

"Why not…she might turn out to be better than the man and wouldn't that be a hoot?"

Scotty didn't look like he imagined that ever happening. But Ethan didn't know, he knew that if Amelia said she had great poker skills, he'd believe her. He looked forward to seeing her in action…and seeing her. Maybe she'd relax more and not be the detached and reserved businesswoman he saw most of the time. He knew there had to be more to her than that side she showed the people around her most of the time. He hadn't known her well before her husband took off…and when she'd told him a few things today, he'd been surprised.

He had a feeling he'd be more surprised tonight and that he wouldn't be the only one.

Amelia looked in the mirror after fixing her hair. It hung in curls loose around her shoulder and she didn't feel like wearing it up as deemed more proper. But she wanted to have some fun tonight and wouldn't be bringing much money to bet, just enough to stay in the game until she started winning.

She knew she would win because she'd learned poker to get closer to her nomadic father and she honed her skills so her husband who'd been courting her at the time would approve of her.

Tonight she'd play for herself, to forget about the world around her and where her husband wandered through it, for a while.

She left the house and headed to the saloon as the sun started to sink towards the surrounding hills, not knowing she was being followed.


	6. Chapter 6

Margaret grumbled as women began to arrive for the Valentine's Day Party. Not that there were many of them because Paradise had never been a town filled with women.

Not unless they were saloon girls or mining widows, wives of merchants or maybe a family here and there. Oh there had been one time during a particularly big boom period that Paradise had been filled with families. Back when there'd been a church and a schoolhouse but that had been some time ago. She remembered one day when a dashing young gentleman and his rather young wife rode into town in a rather nice looking buggy behind a team of horses. He'd been dressed in a distinguished suit, she wearing a pretty dress like the kind sold in a fancy dress shop that had been closed now for years. Pierce Lawson had promised from day one to make the town even greater and he and his wife with the strange accent bought a building and opened up a bank. Soon enough most of the people lined up to take advantage of it.

Margaret had a crush of sorts on Pierce even though he was years younger. She thought Amelia too young and way too spirited for him. And when she saw her handle a gun for the first time, how uncouth of a young woman looking to fit in upper society… When Amelia had shown up at the bank when her husband took off she had been subdued at first and Margaret heard whispers that she'd gone to the marshal to file a report a week after he'd been gone. Had she murdered her own husband in his bed and now was trying to cover her tracks, they discussed over the auxiliary meetings at the saloon restaurant until Amelia started showing up again. By then she knew that everyone in town was talking about her misfortune and how she couldn't keep a man happy enough to stick around. Those younger women, they just lack the skills and when Amelia walked in the room, they'd stop whispering and act like nothing happened.

But now Amelia had gone off and joined the poker game with the men. Margaret pressed her lips hard together looking over at Matilda who was with Mary pouring the punch into glasses for the guests.

"I don't understand Ms Lawson but then I never did…since she first showed up."

Matilda nodded.

"I know…Pierce he was such a gentleman…genteel and respectable," she said, "I simply refuse to believe what some say about his unscrupulous business practices."

Margaret nodded.

"I don't believe the rumors either about him. It must be about her. She's awfully young for a sophisticated city man like him. Girls her age doesn't know a thing about holding onto a man."

Mary smiled.

"I don't know about that Margaret. Amelia seems very sharp, and we all know she did most or all of the work at the bank. Her husband always had other things to do…like his business ventures."

Matilda frowned.

"I remember that. Remember he wanted to bring live theater to Paradise?"

Margaret just shook her head and Mary frowned at her.

"What's wrong with that?"

Margaret fiddled with some of the decorations on the table.

"Oh nothing…except that men don't much like sitting and watching something happen that's not about fighting unless their wives make them."

Matilda nodded. Mary shook her head.

"Scotty's the one who likes live theater…when he spent some time in San Francisco before we got married."

Margaret and Matilda always thought that Scotty was a bit off. He loved to bake even when he didn't have to; in fact he'd made most of the decadent desserts at their party which neither woman understood.

"He just seemed to be the nicest man and Paradise needed a love story."

Matilda nodded in agreement while Mary picked up one of her husband's cupcakes and nibbled on it. She thought she might sneak out in a little bit to go check up on the poker game.

Ethan sat across from Tiny but the game hadn't yet started. They were talking about some news that the Garretson brothers might be returning to town to create some mayhem. Ethan didn't worry too much about it, as rumors always flew around about the outlaw band this time of year. So far, they'd stuck to places like Virginia City and Reno to do their robbing, probably thinking picking wealth from this town right now would be like plucking feathers out of a bald chicken.

That made his life easier because he could relax a bit before he took his next job. He'd been offered a lot of money to hunt another gang, run by Dylan Daggett who he'd heard a lot about in the past several years. Another gang that stuck to preying on bigger cities, leaving the smaller towns to the rookies.

"You ready to play?"

Ethan looked up at Amos who sat there expectantly. He was a lousy poker player who couldn't bluff to save his life. Easy pickings so Ethan didn't know why he was so eager to play and part with his money. Business hadn't exactly been booming lately for him or anyone else.

"Ameila's not here yet."

The other men all groaned at Ethan's words and he knew they hated having a woman in their midst especially one like Amelia who could fleece them all. Ethan knew if he wasn't careful, she'd get some of the money from his last job. He had stashed enough of it in her bank in case his sister, Lucy needed some money for her children. But most of the time, she made decent money even after her husband had left her.

Ethan had never liked the man but he stayed out of Lucy's life just like she stayed out of his, and he knew he'd not been entirely honest with her about what he did for a living. She must really think he owned his own store but then how would she find out otherwise? She was someplace else far away always traveling around never even coming close to setting foot in Paradise.

He just didn't want her worrying about him like she did when they were growing up orphans with only each other. Suddenly he heard footsteps and he looked up and saw her step into the room. Not looking as if she were hesitant but feeling comfortable…whatever life she'd had Ethan guessed that men played a large part in it. There was so much he didn't know about her including where she came from originally because it wasn't this country, not the way she sounded when she spoke.

"Am I late?"

The men all looked at her wearing a very stylish dress with ruffles. She wore her hair in a bun up above her neck and Ethan thought she looked beautiful. But then she always looked like that. Part of it was that women her age were scarce particularly those who were unattached which she had been for some time now. Ethan figured her husband wasn't coming back anytime soon. Oh he was pretty sure Pierce was alive but that he'd stay far away from here until the coast was clear.

Ethan shook his head.

"Come sit down…you look very nice tonight."

She smiled but didn't say anything as she took her seat.

"So this is just regular poker?"

Amos frowned and looked at Ethan.

"What'd she mean by that? What other kinds are there?"

Amelia's smile broadened.

"Oh you'd be surprised Amos," she said, "We play it a lot differently where I come from than here."

That seemed to satisfy the men and they didn't press for details. Ethan had often wondered where she was from originally, where she'd been born but he never thought to ask her.

Amos cleared his throat.

"Well, we're not playing any…foreign card games in Paradise so if you don't know the rules…you can join the ladies at the party down the hall."

Amelia just looked at him, her lips pursed but Ethan could see the amusement in her eyes.

"No…no this version will do just fine," she said, "Pierce taught me how to play it while he was courting me."

The other men just looked at each other and then looked at Scotty to deal out the cards. Ethan took his hand of cards while watching Amelia pick up her own and study them. Her face revealed nothing…he couldn't tell if she liked or disliked her cards. Then Scotty asked Tiny if he wanted to swap cards in his hand and of course Tiny did…he had the worst luck in the part of poker left to chance but Ethan knew never to underestimate his friend.

Amelia paused and then traded in two cards for new ones and Ethan did the same thing as Stanley began talking about whether or not the price of gold going up again would lure someone into buying the mine and reopening it. Ethan didn't think that too likely in the near future.

He won the first hand but it'd come down to him and Amelia and that's when he knew she'd more than just picked up lessons from her wayward husband. She smiled at him as Scotty dealt more cards. The other men picked them up and the game began in earnest…when it hit them that the woman in their midst could more than keep pace with them. She could possibly outplay him which put more than a few manhoods on the line.

Ethan thought this could turn out to be an interesting night.


	7. Chapter 7

Ethan watched Amelia gather up her winnings to add to her growing pile and knew he was looking at a ringer. Someone who came off as being less skilled at something than they were in reality and Amelia had that in spades. The men around her were growing more bug eyed with each round as she won more and more of their money.

Pierce had fleeced them for all their cash through cheating at poker but Amelia hadn't done anything like that. Ethan had been watching all of her moves carefully and saw nothing dishonest or shifty. What he saw was sheer brilliance and she deftly used it against her opponents. Not that she was rude about it either; she smiled at each man as she pulled the money towards her thanking them.

They weren't mad yet more like amused at her, that a mere woman could outplay them all but Ethan worried that this joviality might fade and turn into something more akin to frustration and resentment.

"I'll take two more cards," Amelia said cheerfully enough.

Tiny handed her two more cards and she didn't betray any emotion when she examined them before slipping them with the others in her hand. Damn the woman could bluff like a pro too. Ethan's own hand didn't look that promising and Tiny's offerings couldn't fix that much so he folded out early and watched Amelia and Amos dispatch Tiny and Charlie before they were the only two left. Amelia put some more money in the pot.

"I'll take two more…"

Tiny gave her two cards and took hers. Amos bit his lip examining his own hand wondering what to do.

"I'll…take one."

He did and Ethan saw the hint of a smile on his face. Amos never had been good at bluffing himself. Amelia just took one and then looked expectantly over at her opponent. Waiting for him to make his next move.

Amos just smiled and said, he was ready to stand. He slapped his hand on the table and showed off two pairs. He looked triumphant so sure that Amelia wouldn't be able to beat that.

She furrowed her brow and studied her own hand for a while and Ethan couldn't tell if she liked or hated it, whether she'd lose the round or take the money. She finally put her hand down and Charlie saw it first.

His eyes widened.

"Damn that's a straight."

She nodded with a twinkle in her eye.

"I believe it is Charlie."

She collected her money while they all stared at her. Ethan saw her glance up at him and he smiled. She just pursed her lips and then Tiny started dealing again.

Margaret and Matilda kept checking up on the poker match when they thought the men weren't looking.

"I can't believe that," she said, "Those men allowing a woman to beat them."

Matilda nodded, looking equally disgraced. After all, the women in town who were left were supposed to come to their Valentine's Day party not fraternize with the men. Not to mention that Amelia was a married woman whose husband could have fallen upon some serious misfortune and she didn't seem to be worried about poor Pierce.

Mary smiled after bringing in some more punch.

"It looks like she's just playing better than them," she said, "Scotty took in some cupcakes in there and she'd had a stack of money that she won from them."

Matilda shook her head.

"What's she going to do taking the men's money?"

Mary shrugged.

"Buy herself something nice, put it away to save," she said, "Amelia's been through a rough time with her husband disappearing like that."

Margaret hissed in obvious disapproval.

"She should be at home missing him," she said, "This just isn't proper behavior for a lady."

Matilda sighed deeply.

"You're obviously forgetting what she was like when she and her husband arrived," she said, "Amelia obviously didn't have much training in being a lady."

Margaret nodded.

"She rode horses, carried a gun and she bossed her husband around," she said, "when she was barely grown herself."

Mary had heard the stories about how Pierce and Amelia had ridden into town and he'd already had a golden tongue and a head filled with plans to make Paradise a boom town. But the town had seen better days back then and had been rising on its own with the price of gold. Still, people looked at him in amusement first while Amelia managed the bank they had purchased. She'd quieted down for the most part working long hours and not attending many social functions at first…until her husband had wanted to be seen to make connections with other people in the town with money to spend. He of course had plenty of ideas on what to do with that money. Mary didn't quite trust him though she'd liked Amelia on sight. She knew there had to be more to Pierce's leaving then Amelia even told the marshal when she'd reported him missing.

He'd not been seen since in nearly two years and Amelia had appeared to have been resigned to the fact that she might never see him again. Time to move on, and make a life for herself in Paradise because the bank tied her to this town…because she couldn't legally sell it. Wives didn't own property only their husbands did and unless he turned up dead…but he hadn't turned up at all.

"It's not easy being her," she said, "People gossip about her all the time when they have nothing better to do or say about anything."

Margaret looked taken aback when she said that.

"Well I never…you really think that Amelia will ever fit in here," she said, "I see her when I'm working at the bank and she wears fancy dresses but she's not a lady. She does business like a man."

Mary understood that being a businesswoman herself, wearing the pants in her family so to speak and having a difficult time being accepted on her merits rather than just as Scotty's wife. She'd had her own hardships to bear, been subjected to gossip too about a man who had left town much like Pierce had done some years ago.

"She's very intelligent, she works hard and contributes to this town," she said, "and she's beating the britches off the men…"

Matilda recoiled.

"Oh that's just so improper," she said, "Scandalous… to say such things."

Mary wanted to laugh at the old spinster thinking she just needed to relax. Maybe she should have put some whisky in the punch bowl.

They took a break from the poker match hoping to break Amelia's momentum and throw her off her game.

Amelia went to get herself some scotch. She'd been enjoying herself immensely playing the game that she loved and forgetting everything else for a while. The men hadn't complained too much that she was winning though she sensed more tension in the room than when they had started. They had thought she wouldn't be able to keep pace with them but they'd been wrong.

Only Ethan hadn't looked all that surprised and she caught him watching her in interest. Probably because he might think a woman playing poker a novelty at least one who wore expensive dresses. She'd stood by the bar watching as Rosie and Scarlett two of the saloon girls were sidling up to two men including the one who had accosted her earlier. But she'd just ignore him and given that he seemed more focused on Rosie, she knew he hadn't seen her.

Ethan walked up to her.

"You play a good game," he said, "Surprised more than a few of them."

She looked straight at him.

"What about you?"

His face looked lean and handsome, dressed in a mustache and beard but his eyes were expressive and betrayed his emotions in ways that maybe he didn't guess.

"I seen your husband play and you're just as skilled but not a cheat."

She processed that assessment thinking it pretty apt. She harbored no illusions about Pierce anymore.

"Thank you…so did you send your gift to Lucy your sister?"

Ethan's face changed and she saw then how much he cared about his sister. Maybe his only one, she didn't know anything really about his background other that he was a gunslinger who'd killed men in his line of work.

He looked down at his drink almost shy but she didn't think that fit him.

"Not yet…she travels a lot with her children," he said, "I know she has a house in St. Louis but she might be on the road."

"She'll still see it when she gets back," Amelia said, "She'll still enjoy it just as much. I imagine she misses you."

Ethan nodded slightly.

"Maybe…it's been years since we were close."

"She's your sister," she said, "That'll never change."

"You miss him?"

His question came so suddenly she almost caught her breath.

"Miss…you mean my husband," she said, "I'm not certain that's the right word to use."

"I didn't really know him well," Ethan said, "but I'm sure he's alive out there somewhere."

She chuckled.

"I know he's alive," she said, "He's not able to face things head on Mr. Cord. He runs away from confrontation. Something that must seem foreign to you given your line of work."

She tried not to sound judgmental but couldn't hide it. But sometimes she didn't understand him at all. No need to do so really, he didn't spend much time in Paradise.

Still she found herself wanting to understand him.


	8. Chapter 8

Amelia kept up her winning streak and with each round, the men at the table with her began looking at her more closely. She knew they had their suspicions at why she'd been playing so well and winning all their money.

But the truth was that she had always enjoyed the game and her husband had tutored her well. She had beaten him when she'd gotten really good at it. Most of the time he'd had a good sense of humor about it but she could tell some of these men were losing theirs.

"I think I'll quit now before I bet away my latest pay," Charlie said, "Good night."

The deputy got up to leave the room. He took one of Scotty's cupcakes before he left the room. Amos shook his head.

"I can't believe one player can be this lucky or this good."

Amelia just smiled at him.

"It's not beginner's luck if that's what you're thinking."

"I'm not thinking that exactly."

"Oh come on Amos, you think just because I'm a woman I can't beat you all at poker," she said, "What kind of attitude is that?"

Amos and Stan looked taken aback. Tiny just shrugged and Ethan just winked at Amelia.

"You heard what the lady said," he said, "She played a better game than you did and that's why she won."

Amelia felt her skin flush when he looked at her. No reason for her to feel that way, she barely knew him. He was handsome enough in a way different from her husband and he'd grown into a man while keeping part of the boy. Much different than her husband who had that youthful exuberance but had never really grown up.

Amos scowled.

"How do we know she's not cheating? Like her husband did," he said, "After all if he taught her the game she must know all his tricks."

Amelia folded her arms.

"I do not cheat…I won fair and square because I play better than you do."

Amos just shook his head as if that weren't possible, that a woman could ever beat a man at anything. She'd run into that attitude often enough including when she'd first starting managing the bank. She had to have her husband spend some time there so that she'd get her first customers….make him look like he ran things until it became more difficult to make it look like that. Pierce had grown bored with banking and had moved onto other pursuits like land speculation. Amelia suspected that had been by he left town suddenly.

"I don't know about that," Amos grumbled, "but I'm done playing and I still think you're up to something."

Amelia just watched him get up from the table.

"I might join the ladies' party," Amos said, before leaving the room.

Amelia just watched him go and looked at the rest of them.

"I'm done too," she said, scooping up all the money.

The others just looked at her.

"You mean you're not going to give us a chance to win back her money?"

She smiled at Stan.

"Another day," she said, "I think Margaret and Matilda want me to make an appearance at the party."

Stan grumbled.

"That's not right is it?"

The others just looked at him. Ethan picked up his own winnings which didn't match those of Amelia.

"I'm done too," he said, "I'm going to the bar get something to drink."

Stan stood up and folded his arms.

"I want my money back," he said, "she must have cheated."

Amelia just wanted to roll her eyes.

"I don't cheat…at anything," she said, "Look whatever you might think of my husband…Pierce, I'm not like him. I play fair."

Stan snarled his lip.

"Like hell you do," he said, "But then he ran out on you didn't he?"

Amelia sighed.

"Look it's time for me to go to the party," she said, "Excuse me."

Stan put his hand on her to stop her. Ethan started to react but Amelia just grabbed his hand got it off of her and twisted it behind his back. That shocked him and it surprised the others.

"Like I said, excuse me."

She let him go and he fell into his chair with a thud and she smiled at the rest of them and walked on out of there.

"Did you see that?"

Matilda looked at Margaret.

"I most certainly did," she said, "I told you there's some ruffian in that woman. I don't know where she came from but it must have been some god awful place."

Margaret shook her head.

"Maybe her husband got tired of making a lady out of her."

Mary poured herself some punch.

"She's a lady," she said, "She's very nice, she's just…"

They all looked to see Amelia join them with a smile.

"Hi…I thought I'd join your party."

Matilda frowned.

"Is the poker game over?"

"For me it's over," she said, "Mary these cakes look exquisite…"

She picked one u and took a bite finding it delicious.

"Where'd you get the recipe?"

Mary smiled looking very pleased.

"Out of a newspaper when I was in Carson City some years ago," she said, "I'm thinking of putting it on the menu."

Amos walked in with a drink in hand.

"Hi ladies…may I join you?"

Matilda coughed, putting her hand by her mouth.

"Why…yes…if you'd like."

Amos had been married but no one really knew what happened to his wife. Matilda had always had a bit of an eye for him but he'd always been focused on making as much money as possible so he could take it and start a business elsewhere. Amelia wasn't too fond of the man but she understood that drive very well.

"Amelia here is a bit of a card shark," Amos said, "She took almost all my money."

Matilda and Margaret looked at each other.

"Oh dear," Margaret said, "Amelia do you think that was appropriate?"

Amelia just got a glass of punch and sipped it thoughtfully.

"Not ladylike enough for you perhaps," she said, "but I enjoyed it and I did well."

Matilda harrumphed.

"Really Amelia, if your husband were here…"

Amelia's eyes hardened and her body tensed for a moment.

"But he's not and despite what you might think," she said, "Him leaving had nothing to do with me. Actually he got himself in a spot of difficulty which I'm sure has been the topic of speculation."

Margaret grumbled.

"I really don't think…"

Amelia sighed.

"No you don't…look I don't have my husband here but I've still got a life to live," she said, "I've got bills to pay just like you do and I work very hard…"

Matilda smiled at her.

"We didn't say that but for a woman like yourself to be gallivanting with men…"

Amelia pursed her lips, some amusement in her eyes.

"Gallivanting," she said, "Would it still be considered gallivanting if I were losing?"

"It's just not done," Matilda said, "What will Mr. Lawson think when he comes back?"

Amelia folded her arms.

"Pierce might not be coming back and if he does…he has nothing to say about what I've done or will do to make a life for myself…until I leave…"

She felt herself getting heated and then she glanced up and saw him standing there in the doorway. Ethan leaning against it, watching her and she couldn't read the expression on his face.

So she fell quiet and walked towards the doorway.

"I think I need something a bit stronger to drink than punch."

She walked right past him and he watched her go.

Ethan had won some money playing poker but not nearly as much as the woman who'd just walked past him obviously with a spot of anger in her. He hadn't heard much of the conversation and he wasn't an eavesdropper but they had been talking about her husband and he guessed that was a sore spot for her. He imagined it would be after the way he'd disappeared. Not that anyone would know, Amelia had a strong thread of stoicism inside her.

Amos just looked at him.

"She's got to learn how to behave like a proper lady," he said, "And she should be banned from future pokers games."

Ethan's mouth twitched.

"You can't do that," he said, "It's not in the rules."

"Why not…and we can change the damn rules…"

Ethan scratched his jaw line looking at the obviously piqued man.

"There won't be any rule changes," he said, "Now if you excuse me…"

He left them following Amelia to the bar.


	9. Chapter 9

Amelia got herself a glass of something much stronger than punch. She felt exhilarated after playing poker with a bunch of men and winning all that cash. So much better than hanging out with Margaret and the rest of them at the party in the other room for ladies…proper ones who knew their place.

That had never been her of course. Amelia had been headstrong since the time of birth, young and impetuous but she'd worked hard from the cradle. She hadn't known what it'd been like to have money until she came to this country but she didn't spend much of it. She just stayed in the background and watched other girls her age go out and eat at fancy places wearing stylish dresses. She dreamed about having that all herself someday but she knew no one would give it to her. She'd have to work hard for it and prove she was just as capable as any man. She knew that now in the wake of Pierce's desertion of their marriage.

It'd been hard at first; not really believing he would have left though there'd been so many signs of it. He'd been spending more and more hours away from their home, not showing up for the dinners she prepared for them. Then when he did show up there'd been fighting. There hadn't been any of the…her cheeks flushed…that part of their marriage since…she couldn't remember. Gambling on land speculation and poker games had been his real love and not her.

She'd been way too young when she married him. She hadn't been much older than Claire when she showed up in Paradise full of the hopes that her husband had fed her of a better more prosperous life. They had bought the bank cheap but she'd done almost all the work. She'd been the strong one in the marriage though she'd barely been grown up and he the weak one. It'd never work she realized now but she remained married to him because not enough time had passed for a divorce. He'd never returned and that left her stuck here with a bank she couldn't officially own that kept her tied to a town that almost felt like a prison at times.

But right now, she'd had a fun time playing poker with the men and with Ethan. She'd never really liked him much, thought he brought danger to the town in the form of dangerous people welding guns. Everyone always ran for cover before the gunfire rang out awakening the town from its quieter state. She'd scolded him more than once over it and he retorted back to her about it being just about business.

Tonight she guessed they'd declared a truce of sorts because after all, he had gotten rid of that man who harassed her because of what Pierce had stolen from him. She'd grown somewhat used to men like that showing up occasionally trying to get her to pay them back what they felt her husband owed them. Most likely they were probably right but it had nothing to do with her. Pierce had kept her so much in the dark that after he left when she found out more about him, she realized she'd married a stranger.

Ethan stood next to her to fill his drink and glanced over at her.

"You play a great game," he said, "You heading to the party?"

She shrugged.

"I don't know," she said, "I'm not one who fits very well at parties like that. Too much of a reminder about what can happen I think…they think it's my fault…"

He just looked at her.

"Your fault…?"

She looked at him and realized she probably said too much. She just sipped her scotch on down and then smiled at him.

"Nothing…"

He leaned against the bar. Amelia looked all charged up and he wasn't about to tell her about what the men said about banning her from future poker matches. She sighed putting her empty glass on the counter.

"It's just that Margaret and Matilda have this image built up of Pierce that's not true," she said, "Like I did something wrong and forced him to leave when it wasn't like that at all."

Ethan just listened quietly sipping his drink.

"Every day at the bank Margaret asks when he's coming back…as if I'd know when I know nothing and at this point I don't care."

She ordered another scotch and sipped it more slowly. She was a sensible drinker and never let herself get carried away with it.

"He's still alive out there," Ethan said, "I'm sure he'll turn up."

She took a bigger sip this time.

"I don't want to see him again," she said, "I've moved on with my life…got the bank going in the right direction and I've just won a fortune playing poker."

Margaret walked out and when she saw the two of them together, her lips pressed together tightly and Amelia knew she didn't like it.

"Amelia, why don't you join us in the back for our party?"

She just smiled back at the spinster.

"I'll be there…I'm talking to Mr. Cord for a moment."

"But…"

"I'll be back there," Amelia said, "Maybe we'll both be back there."

Ethan didn't look thrilled with the idea of going to the party she noticed quickly enough.

"Oh Ethan I'm sorry…I didn't even ask you if you wanted to join us. Some of the men have mostly for the refreshments but you don't have to come."

Ethan sipped his own drink thoughtfully.

"Mary's cooking right?"

She smiled at that with a nod.

"She's done most of her prized desserts," she said, "Very tasty and maybe worth listening to a bunch of gossip by the ladies."

He sighed but he found himself wanting to be where she went, not knowing why. He and Amelia barely knew each other, rarely spoke but she seemed to have loosened up a bit from her stern no nonsense business demeanor. He knew it wasn't easy for a woman to survive alone in a town like this one but she'd not only done that but thrived. Business at the bank had never been better which was more than could be said for most of the town.

"Okay…if you go with me."

That surprised her in a not so bad way. She nodded at him again.

"Okay when we finish our drinks, let's go on back…I'm hoping to try the chocolate cake."

They put down their empty glasses a few moments later and then walked to the back room. They passed two men who eyed them closely while sitting by the bar but didn't pay much notice. Margaret and Matilda were both talking to Lila another woman at the back of the room while Mary smiled as she saw Ethan and Amelia approach.

"You both are here," she said, "Scotty's over there Ethan with Amos if you want to talk to them. We've been talking about dress styles back East which probably doesn't interest you."

Amelia smiled.

"I'd rather talk business than fashion," she said, "but I'm done with both for the day. I will try that cake. It looks delicious."

She went to get a slice followed by Ethan who served himself as well. They both went to a corner where they'd stand together while eating their dessert.

"So what about you Ethan," she said, "I know you got a sister but is there someone special out there?"

Honestly she didn't know much about his personal life, as he didn't spend much time in town but that didn't mean he didn't have one. She didn't think he was married but maybe like her he'd tried it once.

But he just looked at her not answering.

"You married?"

He shook his head.

"Never been…my lifestyle doesn't much suit it."

"Fair enough…I did it once and I'm not sure it fit my lifestyle any better," she said, "You have a woman you're seeing…when you're not out gun slinging."

He sighed.

"Been a few here and there," he said, "but most don't have the patience for a man who's always on the move."

"I'm sorry…"

He shrugged.

"I have a good life…make good money," he said, "I have my sister Lucy and her children are my nieces and nephews. I get cards every once in a while."

"Must be very nice," she said, "I haven't heard from my family in a long time. They're so far away I can't even imagine it."

"You miss them?"

She paused, biting her lip. She'd done that a lot lately after Pierce had left but she knew when she left her native country she wouldn't be coming back.

"Sometimes…but it's been so long," she said, "They're more like memories than alive to me though I wish the best for them. My life is here now…"

She felt resolute about that now when it hadn't always been that way.

"What about you? You ever think about settling down, not doing so much violence?"

He sighed.

"Amelia I only do what's necessary."

"Okay still do you ever feel like doing anything else?"

He just looked at her trying to come up with an answer when suddenly he heard loud voices outside the room back by the ba


	10. Chapter 10

Amelia watched as Ethan left her to deal with those loud voices. Was a fight breaking out by the bar? It couldn't be over the poker game because that had ended and she knew that the fights among the women at the party would be to a minimum thanks to Margaret and Matilda. She followed Ethan out to where he'd come between two men who were going at it, rolling on the floor knocking into chairs and tables which sent other customers scattering. Scotty tried to break them up but he wound up slipping and falling on the floor dazed.

Ethan had pulled one man on his feet and asked him what it was about while keeping a firm grip on him. Of course the lanky man with the red hair pointed at a bald man with a crooked nose, probably broken a couple of times during a lifetime spent fighting.

"He stole my woman."

The bald man folded his arms.

"She came to me willingly," he said, "I don't have to steal any woman. If he can't keep her happy…"

Ethan sighed as the other man got on his feet and he kept a careful look on him to make sure he wasn't going to throw a swing at the redheaded man. He didn't recognize either one of them, they must be passing through.

The redheaded man spit what looked like a piece of tooth.

"He's lying…I had Stella for the night," he said, "She was all ready to take my money when this guy grabbed her arm."

Ethan glanced around for Stella who he knew to be a lithe woman with long blonde curly hair who had instigated men to fight over her for amusement. He didn't know why she did that but usually by the time the brawl had started in full force she was out of the room with another customer.

"It's that holiday…what's it called and I was celebrating by coming by here and meeting up with a pretty lady."

The bald guy snorted.

"So was I and she liked me fine when he showed up and tried to take her."

Ethan cleared his throat and both men looked at him.

"Fellows…you're new in these parts I can see."

Both nodded.

"Then you should know a few things," Ethan continued, "It seems to me that Stella here likes to get men to fight over her and then she picks another fellow to spend time with."

They both looked at him dumbfounded and then the redheaded guy got angry.

"You mean…she's trying to rip us off?"

The bald guy looked put out too.

"Why that little…"

Ethan put up his hand before the man could finish.

"Now hold on…I know you're both steamed, I'd be too but there are other ladies here to spend time with besides Stella…Tell you what…you talk to them and I'll go have a word with Stella…"

The redheaded man frowned.

"Now…?"

"No, after she's…done which shouldn't be too long," Ethan said, "Now have some of that chocolate cake that Scotty the bartender made. It's very tasty."

The men grumbled but they went to go get pieces of the cake from a grateful Scotty. Ethan turned towards Amelia who arched a brow at him.

"Well done Mr. Cord," she said, "and you didn't have to draw your gun."

He sighed.

"Most of the time I don't," he said, "Being a gunslinger is 90% talk, though most people only remember the rest of it."

She shrugged.

"Hard not to…when the town gets shot up and bodies litter the streets."

She saw the look in his eyes change and she knew she hit a sore spot.

"Amelia…"

She put a hand up.

"I'm not here to argue it but it's fact Mr. Cord," she said, "There's violence in your line of work."

He nodded, conceding that because there was no way of arguing against it. Too much violence and as he'd been thinking about Lucy and her children who lived many miles away from his world, he'd been grateful that as much as he missed them, they were nowhere close enough to see it or get caught up in it.

"Fair enough…but managing a bank," he said, "That can bring danger as well. Banks attract outlaws of all stripes who have get rich quick schemes."

"I know and I take precautions to prevent that," she said, "I've been lucky so far but rest assured Mr. Cord if anyone does come in my bank to rob it, I will shoot back."

"You're armed…"

She nodded.

"Why of course," she said, "I used to work late there many nights when my husband…was…busy with his own work and having my gun there and ready made me feel safer."

He digested that. She looked petite to him, small boned but looking into her eyes, he knew that inside of her was steel rod. He didn't know much about her background or where she'd gotten it from but she definitely had it.

"Sounds smart…"

They stood there by the bar after it had gotten more peaceful with some men sprinkled about talking amongst themselves.

"My father taught me how to shoot," she said, "Mostly at snakes that can kill within minutes of biting you and some animals for food when we're out traveling."

"What about people?"

She smiled.

"I've ran into more than my share of rough characters," she said, "but so far this town while it's much more different than what I knew…it's not been necessary to shoot much."

He seemed to think about that some and she took in the tall lean figure whose clothes molded to his body in ways that appealed to women she imagined. Not to her of course because he just wasn't her type at all. No, certainly not and besides Pierce hadn't been gone that long…two years wasn't that long when you thought about it and she was still legally married to him. Still, the way his hair had grown long enough to hold a slight curl and her husband had never had a mustache or beard. She wondered…no she wasn't going to go down that road with a gunslinger that killed men for a living.

"Where'd you learn how to shoot Mr. Cord?"

He paused looking down at his hands that could grip the handle of a gun so quickly, so capably and she'd seen him do it more than once.

"When I was growing up, it became a necessary skill for survival…"

He didn't elaborate and she saw the glint of pain in his eyes for a moment before he put those words behind him.

"When you were with your sister…the one you were looking for a gift?"

He paused and then shook his head.

"We were separated by then."

She digested that and she knew then that whatever his childhood had been like, it hadn't been an easy one. Something had happened to lead this man hardened by experiences into picking up that gun the first time for hire.

"Oh…"

"You have any brothers or sisters?"

She nodded.

"Yeah three brothers and a sister," she said, "One sister left there and I had a brother who came to America before I did."

"You've seen him at all?"

She shook her head.

"No…I have no idea what happened to him or if he's still alive. I suppose that's true for a lot of us who immigrated over here."

She hadn't thought about Royal in a long time. Their father had sent him over here to try to make a better, more honest life for himself than he had back home, getting into all types of trouble. Margaret walked up to them and just looked at them and Amelia sensed the disapproval.

"Why don't you come and join the others," she said, "the games are starting."

Amelia was almost afraid to ask.

"Games…?"

Margaret nodded.

"Oh yes…it goes with the holiday," she said, "They should be fun."

Amelia sighed and she walked in to join them followed by Ethan who looked a bit leery of what might be waiting for him.


End file.
